A Day With TwoBit
by Greaserfreak
Summary: We all know that TwoBit is the wise cracker in the group, but there's more to him than that. A day through his eyes may show us another side to him that we don't often think about.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: I was going to wait until December to start submitting this story, but decided to submit it now instead.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders.

"Two-Bit, are you going to sleep all day? You have to take me to school." My ten year old sister, Karen said as she shook my shoulder.

"Five more minutes." I mumbled sleepily.

"Two-Bit!" Karen cried. "It's already seven thirty. If you don't get up now, I'll be late."

I groaned and sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "Why don't you take the bus?" I suggested.

Karen pulled on my arm. "Because I over slept and missed it. Come on Two-Bit, please hurry. If you hurry I can still get to school on time."

"Okay, I'm up." I said. "I'll be dressed in two minutes, okay?"

Karen nodded and left the room, her brownish red pony tail swaying as she walked. As I watched her leave the room, I cursed our father under my breath. I was eight when our father walked out on us and Karen was only a baby. Because of our father leaving us, I was the closest thing to a father that Karen knew. And unfortunately, I'm probably not the best father figure. At least not compared to my friend, Darry who has to take care of his two younger brothers because their parents were killed in a car wreck.

Once I was dressed, I went out into the living room where Karen was pacing impatiently. Unlike me, she doesn't like to be late. If I were running late for school, I'd just skip and do something else. But I guess at ten, you don't think about skipping school.

"Okay, let's go." I said. I led the way to my car and Karen sat in the passenger seat, waiting for me to start the engine. But the engine wouldn't start. "Uh oh."

"What?" Karen asked. "Two-Bit, I have to get to school!"

I sighed. "I know, I know. Okay, back to the house, I have an idea."

Karen got out of the car, grumbling because she was going to be late.

"You won't be late." I told her as I picked up the phone and dialed the only phone number I know from memory. "Hey, Darry? Can you or Soda come over here and take Karen to school? She missed the bus and my car won't start."

I hung up the phone a minute later and looked at Karen who was now sitting on the couch with her arms crossed.

"Darry's going to take you to school, okay? And he's going to drop Soda and Steve off here to look at my car." I said. Then I thought of something. "Did you eat breakfast?"

Karen rolled her eyes at me. "Yes, I had a bowl of Lucky Charms. And it was the last bowl."

"You're not mad at me, are you?" I asked. Then I did my best Mickey Mouse impression. "It's not good to be mad. We should be happy."

Karen laughed just like I knew she would. She always laughs at my jokes and impressions. And it's because of her that I discovered that I like to make people laugh. It all started when she was a baby and laughed for the first time when I made a funny face at her. The wise cracks came later, but I always managed to make someone laugh.

We heard the familar sound of Darry's truck pull up and Karen ran out the door with me following behind.

"Thank you, Darry." Karen said as she climbed in next to him. She waved as Darry backed out of the drive-way and went in the direction of her school.

I turned towards Soda who was standing next to me, shoes in hand. Steve, was already looking under the hood of my car.

"I don't get to see your sister that often." Soda commented. "The two of you look alike."

I found myself grinning with pride. Karen does look like me, although she still has the face of an innocent child. In many ways, she was still innocent and I hoped that she'd stay that way.

"Pony didn't come with?" I asked Soda.

Soda shook his head. "He walked to school today. Speaking of which, shouldn't you be going there,too?"

I nodded and grinned. "Yeah, but remember, I'm eighteen, it's not a big deal if I'm a little late."

Soda looked over at Steve who was playing around with something under the hood. "Find anything?"

Steve loooked up from the hood of my car for the first time since Darry dropped him and Soda off. "I found where Two-Bit keeps all his hair grease."

"Hey, I'm the one who's supposed to make the wise cracks!" I said, but I smiled anyway. It's not every day that Steve makes a wise crack. Soda and I are the usually the only ones who do.

"How old is your sister now?" Soda asked.

"She's ten, why? Are you thinking of fixing her up with Pony?" I asked.

Soda laughed. "No way, she's too young. Besides, Pony isn't interested in girls yet. At least he claims not to be interested in girls."

"Two-Bit, do you have your car keys on you?" Steve asked walking over to Soda and me. I handed the keys to him and he walked back to my car, a few seconds later, the car started and Steve gave me a thumbs up sign. "She's okay now, Two-Bit."

"Thanks a lot Steve. Hey, we should get to school. I hear there's a pep rally today." I said.

Steve groaned. "Only you would get excited about a pep rally. Seeing a bunch of blondes jumping around with pom poms."

"They're not all blond." I said as I turned towards Soda. "Do you need a ride to the DX?"

Soda nodded and followed me to the car, getting into the back seat while Steve slid over in the front seat so I could drive. I drove tothe DX station where Soda works and then went to the school where I signed myself in. Steve unfortunately got a detention for being late. But I knew he'd skip it. Detention is kind of pointless anyway. It's basically just an after school study hall, like we're supposed to learn a lesson from spending an extra hour doing what we've done all day anyway. Pony's the only one who would serve a detention and that's because for him it's easier than facing Darry if he didn't serve it.

"I'll see you and Pony at lunch." I said when Steve and I had to go our seperate ways. He walked slowly down the hall while I walked to my second hour class, whistling the theme to the Andy Griffith show as I wandered down the hall.


	2. Chapter 2

Most people probably wonder why I'm still a junior at eighteen or why I actually enjoy going to school when most greasers can't wait to get out regardless of whether they graduate or not. I know the teachers have all asked that question behind the closed door of the teacher's lounge. And I remember that Ponyboy had asked me those questions once.

"Because the teachers would be bored if I wasn't there." Was the answer I had given him.

Now, I sat in the principal's office reading the certificates that hung on the wall. I had barely walked into my second period class, when Mr. Pascal called me into his office. So, instead of watching a film strip in biology, I was watching Mr. Pascal look through my file.

"Keith, you're eighteen, correct?" Mr. Pascal asked after a few minutes.

"I was the last time I checked." I replied.

"And you're only a junior?" He asked taking off his glasses and setting them on his desk.

I nodded. "That's right."

Mr. Pascal frowned slightly as he went back to looking through my file. "Are you aware that you have to be out of here by the time you turn nineteen?"

I didn't answer even though I knew it was true. It was something I had known for awhile. My mom had mentioned it. Darry even mentioned it to me in passing while looking over Ponyboy's report card once. So, it wasn't like I couldn't know.

"You're birthday is in June, is that correct?" Mr. Pascal asked.

"Yes, sir." I said as politely as I could. I didn't like where this conversation was going.

"Well, if you come here during the day and come back a few nights during the week, you'll be able to graduate and get your diploma." Mr. Pascal told me slowly.

"You mean, I'd have to spend all my time here?" I asked. This didn't sound so bad.

"And you'll have to turn in all your assignments. Also, I've arranged for you to have a tutor in english. He's only a freshman, but he's the best student I could think of for the task." Mr. Pascal said.

"Who?" I asked, almost laughing because I sounded like an owl.

"I think you know him." Mr. Pascal answered. "It's your friend, Ponyboy Curtis. You may go back to class, Keith."

I stood up and walked out of the room in a daze. They wanted me to graduate in June and Pony was going to tutor me? Did they know what they were doing? Didn't they know that school was the high light of my life? Where else was I going to find blondes around every corner to flirt with or groups of socs to make fun of?

The film strip was ending when I got back to my biology class. The teacher looked at me and shook her head as I took my seat. She turned off the projector and started to write something on the chalk board. As she wrote, some students copied what she was writing in their notebooks. I just looked at the board. I didn't have a notebook with me. Didn't bother getting any. I usually borrowed paper from someone if I thought something was interesting enough to write down, such as a cute girl's phone number.

The bell rang and I left the classroom, walking until I got to Ponyboy's locker and waited for him to show up. I was planning on giving him a hard time about having to tutor me, but when he appeared out of the crowd of students, I knew it wasn't the right time.

"Glory kid, what happened to you?" I asked.

"It's nothing, Two-Bit." Pony mumbled as I stepped aside so he could open his locker.

I rached out and gently turned his face towards me. "Looks like something to me."

"A couple socs jumped me on my way here today." Pony said. "Look, it's not a big deal, okay, Two-Bit?"

I knew he was trying to convince me not to tell Darry or Soda that he had been jumped. Even though we both knew they'd find out anyway. DArry finds out everything that happens to Pony and I know the kid can't keep something from Soda for long.

"You get jumped by socs and you think it's not a big deal?" I asked. "Kid, it was socs who almost killed Johnny last year in the vacant lot. It was socs who almost drowned you the night Johnny killed one of them. You getting jumped on your way here is a big deal. Those socs could have done a lot worse."

Pony gave me the same look he gives Darry when Darry hollers at him and I instantly felt sorry for the kid.

"Hey, I don't want to see you get hurt, okay?" I said softly. Then I grinned at him. "But that black eye does make you look tough."

Ponyboy grinned back at me. "Really?"

"Really." I said. "By the way, how did you manage to get away with only a black eye?"

"Curly and Tim both came and chased the socs away." Pony said. "You know those two are always looking for a fight, and I guess they found one."

"Darry's going ask where you got that black eye." I reminded him. "So is Soda."

"I know." Pony sighed. "I should get to class."

"Yeah, me too." I said. "You're meeting me and Steve outside during lunch so we can get something to eat, right?"

Ponyboy nodded and started to walk away. "I'll see you later, Two-Bit."

I watched him walk away and resisted the urge to pound the first soc I saw into the hall floor. I had known Pony since he was three and I cared about him as much as Darry and Soda did. He didn't deserve to be jumped by the socs. And it made me mad to think that the socs felt that they had the right to jump greasers. Especially ones who were smaller than them and walking alone. It wasn't fair and I wanted to get some sort of revenge for Pony's sake, even though I knew Darry would have a few words with me if I did.


	3. Chapter 3

I usually meet Steve and Ponyboy outside by the front entrance at the beginning of our lunch period. Which is exactly where they were today when I walked out of the building. They were both leaning against the building, smoking cigarettes, which is probably the only thing those two do together since they only get along for Soda and the rest of the gang. This includes me and sometimes being around them is like being a referee.

"Hey, who wants to go get something to eat? I'm starving." I said as I linked arms with both of them and started walking towards my car.

"Two-Bit, do you always have to do this?" Pony asked.

I grinned at him. "I could skip if you want."

"No, that's okay." Pony mumbled. He looked at a group of socs and frowned.

"Are they the ones who jumped you?" I asked.

"No." Pony replied.

Steve groaned. "What were you doing getting jumped?"

"Jumping for joy." Ponyboy snapped back. "I was trying to fight back, that's what I was doing."

"Maybe you should use your head for once and take the bus instead of deciding to walk." Steve said.

"If I want someone to tell me to use my head, I'll listen to Darry holler at me." Ponyboy grumbled. "I certainly don't need to hear it from you."

"Well, if you stopped acting like a kid you wouldn't have to hear it." Steve said loudly.

I sighed, "Come on you two, can't we give up the arguing? It's bad enough that we still have to deal with the socs since they still come on our side of town and jump us, do we have to fight amongst ourselves, too?"

Ponyboy and Steve both looked at each other and let out an angry huff. Neither one answered me but at least they were silent as we drove to the local grocery store. They just gave each other angry glares in my rear view mirror. Something they wouldn't dare do when Soda was around. At least they make an attempt to get along when he's around.

"What are we eating today?" I asked as I turned off the engine. I got silence for a response. "Fine, I'll pick something. I'll be back in a minute."

I got out of the car and walked inside where I kept one eye on the shelves and the other on the employees. Soon, I was walking out of the store with bread, some turkey, and a couple packs of cigarettes under my jacket and in my pockets. I got back in the car and started the ignition, backing out of the space and driving to the park.

At the park, I took out the bread and turkey. "Lunch is served."

"Turkey and bread?" Pony asked. "That's it?"

Steve rolled his eyes. "Did you expect him to get mayonaise and mustard, too?"

"Steve, leave him alone." I said as I made myself a sandwhich and started to eat it. When I finished, I turned and looked at Ponyboy who was eating a sandwhich himself. "How's your eye? Does it hurt?"

Pony shook his head. "It doesn't hurt."

I knew he was lying but I didn't say anything. He was going to get enough concern from his brothers later, I didn't think he wanted it now, so I let the subject drop.

"What are you doing after school Two-Bit?" Steve asked.

I sighed. "I'm supposed to meet my tutor and study."

"They're having you work with a tutor?" Steve asked. "Who is it?"

"Turn around." I said, winking at Ponyboy who was pretending to ignore me.

"Ponyboy!" Stve nearly choked on the cigarette he had just lit up. "Why would they have a fourteen year old kid tutor an eighteen year old?"

"Mr. Pascal asked me." Pony said quietly. "I'm not sure why, but he said I was the best one for the job."

"And just think, I get to spend more time with my favorite young greaser." I said.

"Very funny, Two-Bit." Ponyboy groaned.

In the distance, we heard the bells of a church ring, which was our signal to head back to the school. The drive back to school was more cheerful than the one to the store. But when we pulled into the school parking lot, our cheerfulness was interupted.

"Hey, greasers." A soc yelled at us. "You really should stick together more. That way we can jump you at one time."

I got out of my car. "Well, here we are."

"Two-Bit," Pony said in a warning tone. Darry doesn't like him to get into fights.

I ignored him, focusing on the group of socs were now circling around us. I barely noticed as Steve and Pony stood on either side of me, watching the socs.

"We don't like greasers." One of them said.

"Really?" I asked. "Because we don't like socs. Especially ones who jump fourteen year old kids."

Pony gave me a nudge when I said that, but he never took his eyes off the socs. For a kid who doesn't like fights, he knew how to hold his own. He never backs down, even when he's the weaker one which is something even Steve has to respect.

"Alright, it's time to head inside, boys." A female teacher called from the entrance of the school. "Lunch is over now."

The socs each took turns spitting on our shoes before walking away. We followed slowly behind them, smoking one last cigarette before going back inside. I noticed that Pony was looking at his shoes in disgust as we walked. I can't say that I blamed him. Our shoes getting spit on was an insult and we all knew it. I also knew that Pony wanted the rivalry between the greasers and socs to stop, but as far as I could tell, that wasn't going to happen any time soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Steve and I both have auto mechanics after lunch. I think it's kind of funny that Steve signed up for the class considering he knows more about cars than the teacher does. Everyone in class knows this, too. More people go to Steve for help in the class than the teacher.

"Why does Pony always have to be around us?" Steve asked. "Aren't there other freshmen he can have lunch with?"

"He's known us since he was a little kid," I replied. "Besides, if you were him, would you want to eat lunch with the freshmen here? It'd be hard enough for him to eat with a bunch of socs."

Steve sighed, "I guess you're right. Besides, he wouldn't be able to leave school grounds without us."

That was true. Freshmen couldn't leave the school for lunch unless they were going with an upper classman. I'd noticed some of the other freshmen giving Ponyboy jealous glances as we've left for lunch on several occassions. And thanks to Steve and myself, Pony knew stuff that the other freshmen didn't know, like the best place to smoke in the building without getting caught and how to get access to hall passes so you can wander the halls without getting into trouble.

"You know, you're alot like Soda, sticking up for Pony the way you do." Steve commented.

I gave him a goofy grin. "Hey, someone has to stick up for the kid. Although he's pretty good at sticking up for himself."

Steve nodded and turned his attention to someone who was asking him for help with that day's assignment. Leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms. I usually don't do anything in auto shop, except for talking to Steve, and the teacher doesn't seem to care. So, I just sat there, watching everyone else work until I got bored. Then, I drew pictures in the margins of the text book.

"You could get in trouble for writing in the book." A sophmore said to me.

I grinned at him. "I'm not writing in the book. I'm drawing in it."

The kid looked at me before walking away, shaking his head. He was a middle class kid, which I guess was okay. At least he wasn't a soc.

It wasn't long before the bell rang and I was heading for the last class of the day, which for me is study hall, or as I like to call it, nap time. At least most days, I can take a nap. But, today when I entered the classroom, the teacher handed me a pass to Mr. Symes' class room.

"What's this?" I asked him as he placed the pass in my hand.

"Apparently, Mr. Pascal has arranged for you to go to Mr. Symes' freshmen English class during this time. He said you'd know what it was about." The teacher replied. He gave me a small grin. "Don't worry Mr. Mathews, I'm sure things will work out for you."

I didn't reply as I left the room and made my way to the other end of the building where Mr. Symes' class was. I entered the room almost two minutes after the bell rang, which meant I had a class full of freshmen socs looking at me. Pony wasn't looking at me, though, he was looking down at his desk, tracing whatever was carved in it with his finger. He looked as uncomfortable as I felt.

"Keith?" Mr. Symes asked as I handed him the pass. I nodded and he pointed at an empty desk next to Pony's. "You'll be sitting next to Ponyboy since he'll be tutoring you. "

"I thought he was going to tutor me after school." I admitted softly.

Mr. Symes grinned at me. "He will, but it seems that you're farther behind than you should be. But, I'll make a deal with you. I'll give you the same assignment I gave Pony last semester when he was failing. Give me a semester theme about something you've experienced and I'll pass you with at least a C."

"A theme?" I asked. "I don't even know what that is."

"Why do you think Ponyboy's tutoring you?" Mr Symes asked with a wink.

I walked to my assigned desk and sat down. "Looks like we're in class together, kid."

Pony glanced up at me. He didn't look too happy about having me in class with me, although he did manage a tiny smile. "At least I'm no longer the only greaser in here."

I surveyed the room and realized for the first time that there were mostly socs and a handful of middle class kids, but Pony and I were the only greasers. No wonder he looked like he was uncomfortable. If I was a fourteen year old greaser in a class full of socs, I'd be uncomfortable too, if my eighteen year old friend was suddenly put in that class.

"Relax Pony," I whispered. "How bad can this be?"

"You're not the one who has to sit through every class where it's mostly socs. I'm going to have to hear more comments from them than usual because you're in this class now. It was bad enough being the only greaser." Pony whispered back.

I'd forgotten that because he was in a lot of the smart classes that he was constantly around socs. He had to put up with the socs more than the rest of us did and there was no way I could even begin to understand what that was like. To make it worse, there weren't many people in the school who would stick up for him if the socs caused trouble. Basically, since Pony was in all the smart classes, he was always between a rock and a hard place. And I wondered if Darry understood that.


	5. Chapter 5

"Two-Bit, mom said you have to make dinner for the two of us. She has to work a double shift today." Karen told me as soon as I walked in the door.

"She's working a double again?" I asked. "That's the third time this week."

Our mom worked almost as much as Darry did to make sure we had enough money to get by. Karen and I never knew if she was going to work a double or not and when she did, it usually meant that Karen and I had to find something to eat for dinner.

"Do we have any peanut butter and jelly left?" I asked.

"I don't want peanut butter and jelly." Karen told me. "I'm tired of peanut butter and jelly. I want something else."

I can't say that I blamed her. After all we did end up eating peanut butter and jelly a lot. And I'm sure she would like to have a decent meal just like I would. However, I never learned to cook a decent meal unless heating up a can of soup counts and Karen still isn't allowed to use the stove.

"Do you want to go to the Curtis' house and see if we can eat with them?" I asked. I knew there'd be plenty of food there since Darry's used to Steve and me dropping by and helping ourselves to the food.

"Two-Bit!" Karen cried.

"Well, it's either that or peanut butter and jelly." I told her.

"Well, okay." Karen sighed. "But, I'm bringing my homework."

"Fine." I said. "Get your things and meet me in the car."

Five minutes later, I was driving to the Curtis' house with Karen sitting next to me, looking out her window. It wasn't long before I was pulling up in front of the familar house and the two of us got out of the car and walked to the front door. I opened the door and walked right on in with Karen following slowly behind me.

"Hey, you brought your sister with!" Soda commented when he saw us. He smiled down at Karen. "Did Darry get you to school on time this morning?"

Karen nodded and I could tell she was feeling shy. She usually gets that way when she's around my friends even though she's known them as long as I have.

"You don't have to be shy around us, Karen." Soda told her.

Karen gave him a small grin before sitting on the couch and taking out her homework. She didn't say anything as she did her homework, although she did look at Soda and me a few times.

"So, what's for dinner?" I asked.

"I don't know." Soda replied. "It's Darry's turn to fix dinner and he's running a little late."

I turn to Karen. "Is it okay if we have dinner late?"

Karen nodded. I guess a late dinner was better than having peanut butter and jelly at our house.

Ponyboy came out of the bedroom, apparently from doing his own homework. Something I hadn't planned on starting any time soon. "Two-Bit, since your here do you want to start your theme?"

"Pony, I don't see why I have to start that now. I have all semester to do it." I complained.

Ponyboy gave me the same look I'd seen Darry give him when they discussed his own school work. "Two-Bit, if you start now, you stand a better chance of getting a decent grade and graduating in June."

"You're graduating?" Karen asked, looking up the assignment she was working on.

"Hey, you spoke!" Soda joked.

"Yeah, they say I'm too old to be in high school." I said, answering her question.

"Mom will be glad to hear that." Karen commented.

At that moment, Darry walked in, looking exhausted.

"Darry, we have guests for dinner." Soda said. He motioned toward Karen and me as I sat down next to my sister.

Darry looked over at us. "Okay, is Steve coming, too?"

Soda shook his head. "Steve got called in to work. Mike called in sick."

"I'm making fried chicken." Darry told us.

"That's fine," I said.

Karen nodded in agreement.

Darry shook his head. "If I didn't have two brothers, I'd ask why she wasn't like you, Two-Bit."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Soda demanded playfully.

"Soda, you're no more like me than those two are like each other." Darry answered.

Soda looked over at Pony. "Yeah, but we all know Pony's like you, Darry."

"No I'm not!" Pony protested. "Darry and I are nothing alike!"

I just laughed because I knew Soda was right. And it was true that Karen wasn't like me at all when it came to our personalities. I've never been known to be shy. In fact, I used to give Pony and Johnny a hard time for being quiet.

Darry disappeared into the kitchen to make dinner leaving the rest of us in the living room. Karen put her homework back into her bag then just sat there.

"Karen, do you know how to play poker?" Soda asked, taking out a deck of cards.

Once again, Karen shook her head.

"Do you want to learn? I can show you." Soda told her. "We can play against Pony and TWo-Bit while Darry makes dinner."

"Are you sure it's a good idea for you to teach her?" Pony asked. "You like to cheat."

"Only when Steve's here." Soda said. "Come on, Pony, I can't stand seeing her sit there with nothing to do. And maybe if we include her in something, she'll start talking more."

I grinned and looked over at Karen. "Well, what do you think? Do you want to learn how to play poker?"

Karen silently stood up and walked over to where Soda had sat down at the dining room table. She sat next to him and he pulled her closer to him so she could see the cards better. I joined them, glad Soda was willing to include Karen, not that it should have been a surprise since he had always included Ponyboy even though he was younger. Soda's always good at including people and he can usually get them to agree to join in.

Ponyboy also joined us at the table and soon we were playing poker with Soda explaining the game to Karen. It wasn't long before she was playing with her own hand and I ended up being glad that we weren't playing for anything because Karen ended up beating me four times. She was doing well for her first time playing poker and even though Soda was still keeping an eye on her cards and helping her, I could tell he was impressed by how quickly she was learning to play.

"Dinner's almost ready." Darry said, coming into the room. He watched us play poker. "Karen, do you like chocolate ice cream?"

Karen nodded.

"Then that's what we'll have for desert." Darry told her. He looked over at me. "You should bring her here more often, Two-Bit. I mean, what does she eat at home when your mom works? Peanut butter and jelly?"

Karen nodded and looked at me.

"Hey, it's quick and easy." I said.

Darry shook his head. "One of these days, I'm going to teach you how to cook. It's not as hard as you think."

Ponyboy groaned. "Darry, are you sure you want to risk burning the house down?"

Darry grinned at Soda who was putting the cards away. "We let Soda cook, don't we?"

"What's wrong with my cooking?" Soda asked. "Just because I like to be a little creative doesn't mean I'm a bad cook."

Karen looked at me with questioning eyes.

"Soda likes to add food coloring to the food he cooks." I explained.

Karen grinned. It occurred to me that she wan'ted to see one of Soda's creative meals and I promised myself to take her back to the Curtis' house on a day that Soda was cooking. Meanwhile, we all made our way to the kitchen to eat the meal that Darry had prepared.


	6. Chapter 6

After dinner, Ponyboy insisted that we get started on my English assignment. The semester theme that Mr. Symes wanted me to write. So, instead of watching television with the others, I was in the kitchen with Ponyboy, staring at a blank sheet of paper.

"How long was your theme?" I asked Ponyboy. I had heard about it, but never actually saw it.

"Long enough to fill the pages of an entire notebook," Pony replied.

I nodded and looked into the living room where Soda was keeping Karen entertained. At least someone was having fun. The two of them were playing some game that Soda had brought out of the bedroom, only they were making up their own rules since Soda never bothers to read the rules to any game.

"Two-Bit, you're not going to get anything done if you keep staring into the living room," Pony said, but he was grinning at me. "This assignment isn't that bad once you think of something to write."

"That's easy for you to say," I told him. "I bet you keep a journal hidden in your room."

Ponyboy ignored my comment and pointed at the paper infront of me. "You must have had at least one experience you could write about."

"I could write about the day I went to church with you and Johnny," I suggested.

"I think Mr. Symes wants something longer than that," Pony pointed out.

I sighed, "Okay, then what do you suggest? After all, you've done this assignment before."

Ponyboy thought for a minute. "Write about a life changing experience. That's what mine was about."

"Hmm, the day I got excepted into the Mickey Mouse Club," I said thoughtfully.

"It has to be a true story, Two-Bit," Ponyboy said, rolling his eyes at me. "I know you haven't been in the Mickey Mouse Club."

"Two-Bit, Karen can have a bowl of ice cream, right?" Soda asked entering the kitchen with Karen following behind.

"Yeah, she can have ice cream," I replied. I grinned at Karen. "Atre you having a good time with Soda?"

Karen nodded. "He's better at playing games than you are."

Soda turned to give me a huge grin as he set two bowls on the counter. "Karen, do you want one scoop or two?"

"Two," Karen said at the same time I said, "One."

"Two-Bit!" Karen glared at me. "I can eat two scoops."

"It's getting late," I told her. "The last time you had a lot of sugar right before bed, you didn't go to sleep until late and mom got upset with me."

"But, I never get to eat ice cream," Karen protested. "Especially chocolate."

"Let her have two scoops, Two-Bit," Ponyboy said, "it's not like Soda's going to fill the bowl."

I sighed, "Alright, but only two scoops."

"You were going to let her have the two scoops anyway, weren't you?" Ponyboy asked me after Soda and Karen went back into the living room with their ice cream.

"Yeah," I admitted, "I just had to try to be responsible. Besides, mom really did get upset that one time. Since I'm the closest thing to a father figure that Karen has, I have to set a good example for her."

"Two-Bit, write about that," Pony said.

I looked at him. "About what?"

"About being a father figure to your little sister," Ponyboy replied. "It's an experience that's changed your life and if you work hard enough on it, the theme could get a decent grade."

"I wouldn't know where to begin," I admitted.

Ponyboy pointed at the sheet of paper in front of me. "Just make a list of ideas. Trust me, it'll come to you."

"I trust you, Pony," I told him, "I just don't trust myself. What if I really can't do this?"

"You can do this, Two-Bit," Pony assured me. "Remember, you have me for a tutor. I'm not going to let you fail."

For the next hour, I tried making a list of what to write for my theme and actually came up with a few ideas. I didn't start writing the theme because it was getting late and I had to get Karen home, but I was getting there and I could tell that Pony knew that I'd be able to start writing the theme the next time he tutored me.

"I should get going," I said as I stood up. "I have to get Karen home."

I walked into the living room where Karen had fallen asleep on the couch. She had a blanket covering her, and I figured that either Soda or Darry had done that.

"And you thought she'd be up all night after a small dish of ice cream," Soda told me. "She's been asleep for almost a half hour."

I grinned as I carefully picked her up. "Thanks for keeping her entertained, Soda. It sounded like she was having fun playing whatever it was you were playing."

"She's a cute kid, Two-Bit, you should bring her by more often," Soda replied.

"I might have to," I told him. "Mom's been working extra hours and with Pony tutoring me, I can't exactly leave her home alone."

Soda walked outside with me and opened the passenger side of my car so I could put Karen inside. Then, he went back inside the house where he watched as I backed out of the driveway. A few minutes later, I was putting Karen in her own bed and pulling the covers over her.


	7. Chapter 7

Since Karen was in bed, I sat outside on the back steps with a can of beer. Our back yard was small with a few trees and a swing set that Karen wasn't using much anymore. I stopped using it myself when I was her age. Even though I still like sitting on the swings at the park. I don't think I'll ever let go of my childhood.

A car pulled into the drive way and my mother appeared next to me a few minutes later, looking tired and stressed like she did every night. She sat down next to me, looking over at the swing set. "I'll have to start thinking about getting rid of the swing set soon."

I looked at her. "Why?"

"Well, you don't use it and Karen's starting to out grow it, too. There's no sense of keeping it if we're not going to use it," Mom replied.

I sighed, "Yeah, I guess so. But it holds so many memories."

"And it'll hold more," Mom told me. "I'm going to give it to one of the girls at work. She has a young daughter who would love to have a swing set."

"Does the girl have a father?" I couldn't help asking.

Mom gave me a funny look. "You were eight when your father left us. I've tried to raise you and Karen the best I could. But, it hasn't been easy for me. I guess it hasn't been easy for you either. But, I'm glad you're willing to look after Karen when you'd probably prefer to do something with your friends."

"We went to the Curtis' house for dinner," I said. "I think Karen had fun with Soda."

"Anything else?" Mom asked me and I realized that it'd been a while since we'd talked like this."

"The school wants me to graduate in June. They have Ponyboy tutoring me," I said. "Mr. Symes wants me to write a semester theme and I'm thinking about writing about what's been like growing up without a father."

Mom nodded and grinned at me. She had the same grin I did. "You'll graduate in June, Two-Bit, I know you will. If you set your mind to it, you can do anything."

"Mom?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if dad hadn't left us?" I asked.

"All the time," Mom replied. "But I think we've done okay, don't you?"

I grinned and nodded.

"I'm going to go to bed now, I have to work in the morning. Don't stay up too late." Mom gave me a kiss on the cheek before standing up and going into the house..

I stayed outside for several minutes before I headed inside and went to my own room for the night. I knew it was getting late and I had to go to school in the morning, but I wasn't tired. So, I found some paper and tried to work on the semester theme that Mr. Symes wanted me to write, remembering the things Pony had told me. But after an hour of failed attempts to start it, I decided to go to bed. The theme could always wait, after all, I had the whole semester to write it.


End file.
